Fried Vegetable Spring Rolls

published Jan 29, 2022
Spring Rolls Recipe

These crispy, fried, golden spring rolls take first place for best appetizer.

Serves18

Prep30 minutes

Cook30 minutes

Jump to Recipe
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six fried vegetarian spring rolls with one cut in half and leaned on top of the others
Credit: Kristina Cho

Crispy, golden, fried spring rolls are the perfect appetizer. I particularly love an excellent vegetarian spring roll because everyone can enjoy them. Plus, it’s nice to sneak in some veggies. A blend of produce with varying textures and flavors will provide textural excitement in each roll so that you won’t miss the meat at all! 

The key to wrapping the perfect spring roll starts with the filling. It needs to be flavorful, yes, but it also can’t be too wet. A soggy filling will lead to a soggy spring roll, which will ultimately burst and break when you fry it. Vegetables naturally have a lot of water in them, so to draw that moisture out and develop some more complex flavors, we need to cook them. At one point the pan will look quite soup-y — don’t panic. Keep cooking the filling until nearly all that moisture has cooked off.

What’s in a Vegetarian Spring Roll?

A variety of vegetables will give the spring roll filling contrasting textures and flavors.

  • Cabbage: Shredded cabbage will bulk up the filling and soak up a lot of flavor from the seasoning and sauces
  • Portobello mushrooms: Thick slices of mushrooms will cook down into juicy and meaty pieces, providing a slight chew in the filling that mimics the qualities of meat
  • Carrots: Carrot matchsticks stay hearty when cooked and lend a little sweetness to the filling.
  • Bell peppers: Thinly sliced bell peppers add a nice pop of color and sweetness to balance the savory sauces in the filling.
Credit: Kristina Cho

What Type of Wrappers Do You Need for Spring Rolls?

Spring rolls are made with a thin, wheat-based wrapper. You may find other wrappers labeled similarly but that are actually made out of rice paper. You can still deep-fry rice paper wrappers, but the cooking technique is a little different and rolling them is more delicate.

Egg roll wrappers are also wheat-based, but they are typically thicker and made with flour and egg which will cause the dough to blister when fried.

Spring Roll Dipping Sauce

I always serve spring rolls with a bowl of sweet chili sauce for dipping. The bright and slightly sweet sauce is a perfect complement to the dough and savory vegetables. If you’re interested in something a little spicier, dip the spring rolls in your favorite chili oil instead.

Spring Rolls Recipe

These crispy, fried, golden spring rolls take first place for best appetizer.

Prep time 30 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

Serves 18

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 18

    fresh or frozen lumpia or spring roll wrappers (not egg roll wrappers)

  • 3

    large portobello mushrooms

  • 1/2

    medium green cabbage (11 to 12 ounces)

  • 1

    medium red bell pepper (about 8 ounces)

  • 3

    large carrots (about 6 ounces)

  • 3 tablespoons

    olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons

    soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon

    Sriracha hot sauce

  • 2 teaspoons

    toasted sesame oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    ground white pepper

  • 3

    medium scallions

  • 2 tablespoons

    water

  • 1 tablespoon

    cornstarch

  • 5 to 6 cupss

    neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, for deep frying

  • Sweet chili sauce, for serving

Instructions

  1. If needed, thaw 18 frozen lumpia or spring roll wrappers in the refrigerator until you can separate the sheets, about 3 hours.

  2. Trim the stems from 3 large portobello mushrooms and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut 1/2 medium green cabbage into thin shreds until you have 8 cups. Trim 1 medium red bell pepper and cut into matchsticks. Peel and cut 3 large carrots into matchsticks.

  3. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms, cabbage, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage wilts down by about half, 5 to 6 minutes. Add bell peppers and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Sriracha, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper. Toss to combine and continue to cook until there is no more moisture in the pan, about 10 minutes.

  4. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Let cool completely, 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the white and green parts of 3 medium scallions.

  5. Add the scallions to the vegetable mixture and toss to combine. (You should have about 4 packed cups filling.) Place 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small bowl and stir to combine. Remove 18 spring roll wrappers from the package and place on a work surface or plate. Cover with a damp paper towel to keep from drying out. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

  6. Place 1 wrapper on the work surface in a diamond shape (keep the remaining wrappers covered with the towel). Place about 1/3 cup of the filling across the center of the wrapper and form into a 4-inch-long log. Fold the left and right sides of the wrapper tightly over the filling. Dip a finger into the cornstarch mixture and dab onto the top corner of the wrapper. Roll from the bottom up into a tight log. Place on a cutting board or plate. Repeat assembling the remaining spring rolls. If making ahead, you can freeze the filled spring rolls at this point.

  7. Heat enough neutral oil to come up 1 to 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a larg pot over medium-high heat until 370°F (about 5 to 6 cups). Meanwhile, fit a wire rack over a baking sheet.

  8. Fry batches of 3 to 4: Add the springs rolls to the hot oil and fry until golden-brown all over, turning with chopsticks or tongs as needed, 2 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to the wire rack. Serve with sweet chili sauce.

Recipe Notes

Wrappers: This recipe utilizes wheat-based spring roll wrappers. Some rice paper wrappers are also labeled as “spring roll wrappers,” but you don’t want to use those for this recipe.

Make ahead: The filling can be made up to few days in advance and refrigerated. The cooler the filling, the easier it will be to wrap the spring rolls.

The spring rolls can be also be assembled up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, or frozen solid and then stored in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Fry frozen spring rolls directly from frozen for about the same amount of time.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven, air fryer, or toaster oven.